Heat batsmen fired up to play Test cricket in near future

jspasaro |
1st Jan 2013 11:00 AM

Josh Spasaro
Sports Journalist
I spent four years in country newspapers before taking on a dream role of covering national and international sports news across the entire APN network, in early 2012.
I learnt my trade in Kingaroy, Queanbeyan and Lismore doing it all – design, photography and headline writing.
I am now the envy of all my friends and family members, now that I have the privilege of covering Origin, Bledisloe Cups, footy grand finals and other top international sporting events.
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DON'T dare mention a couple of batting greats retiring from the Australian Test, or the growing fast bowlers' casualty ward, to Brisbane Heat stars Chris Lynn and Ben Cutting.

Both youngsters have been shining lights in this season's Big Bash, with the Heat (2-3) needing to beat the impressive Melbourne Stars (4-1) on Thursday night at the Gabba to stay in the hunt for a maiden finals berth.

Lynn has scored half centuries in two of his side's past three games, against the Scorchers and Thunder, belting 51 from 37 in Friday night's win over the western Sydney team.

The 22-year-old showed good composure in his side's run chase against the Thunder, coming in at 3-48, before steering his side to its modest 127-run target.

"You just try and take that sort of leadership role and see them through, and keep to your required run rate," Lynn said.

"If I'm batting at the end with Peter Forrest, there's a fair chance we win the game."

The Australian Test selectors are looking at blooding young batsmen following the retirements of veterans Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey this summer.

As a result, Lynn's Queensland Bulls teammate Usman Khawaja has been called into the Australian Test squad, while fellow promising talent Phil Hughes earned himself a Baggy Green recall against the touring Sri Lankans.

But the in-form Toombul product knows there is still a lot of work to do if he is to be spoken in the same breath.

"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. There are plenty of good players around playing decent cricket and you've just got to put your hand up with every opportunity you get. That's what I'm trying to do," he said.

While Lynn believes Stars champion Shane Warne has still got it at 43, he said facing express "Slinger" Lasith Malinga, the competition's equal leading wicket-taker with 10, could be even tougher.

"He's a world-class bowler. We're going to have a good plan to him and we'll stick to that," Lynn said.

Cutting is the Heat's leading wicket-taker with six from five games, and kept the Thunder and equal first-placed Renegades to just 12 runs from three and four overs respectively.

But Cutting's lack of media exposure, despite seven Aussie pace bowlers out injured, is not worrying him or his fellow consistent Bulls quicks Luke Feldman and Cameron Gannon.

"Not particularly, because we're all working towards the Shield final, and if we can keep that core group together it'll be a good thing for us," Cutting said.